Girl Dog Names That Start With M

Popular in France in the 60s, Marielle is one of many international variations and diminutives of Mary. While actress and author Mariel Hemingway made us aware of the more abbreviated spelling — which is currently the more popular option in the US — this longer, elegant form saw increased interest in a recent year, when it was chosen for 115 girls. 
 Derived as it is from Mary, the meaning of Marielle is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr). 
 
While sleek Mariel was chosen for 240 girls, more than double the amount of Marielles, both were outranked the Italian Mariella in recent US stats.

Marielle

The Spanish and Portuguese word for "sea" is a Top 100 name in Spain. In America, it's sometimes used as a nickname for names like Martina and Marina, but it could also plausibly stand on its own.

This name similar to Milana and Melania was popularized by Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Guidice's daughter. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 since 2011.

Milania

Homophonous with Mae and May, the beautiful (literally) Mei is poised to climb the charts. The hero of the 2022 Disney/Pixar film Turning Red is a Chinese-Canadian teen named Meilin "Mei" Lee, which may boost the name ever further.

Majesty

A midcentury Catholic classic that's not chosen by many parents today. Leonard Cohen fans might think of the beautiful song So Long, Marianne, named for his lover and muse Marianne Ihlen.

 The meaning of Marie is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Marianne

Marlo first came to prominence as a perky, pretty nickname name that seemed to have been invented by or for Marlo Thomas, who was born Margaret. But Marlow and Marlowe are English surnames meaning driftwood, are more popular forms of the name, giving it historical depth and a nature meaning. And Marlo is the most truly gender-neutral, given to about 100 babies of each sex last year.

Marlo

Megan was one of the first trendy names to spawn lots of spelling variations and this form of the name is less popular than its streamlined counterpart, but nevertheless familiar to those in the English speaking world. A variant of Margaret, the name was rarely heard outside of Wales before the mid-20th century.

The form entered the US Top 100 in the '80s, where it remained until the mid-90s. By 2012, it had rapidly declined and was out of the Top 1000. With the ascendance of British Prince Harry's wife Meghan Markle however, this spelling had a brief resurgence. In 2018, the year of their marriage, it was one of the fastest rising names in both the US and the UK, though the following year saw it as one of the fastest falling.

Meghan

Is it clunky cute, strong and vintage, or dreadful and mildewy? Like Gertrude and Bertha, Mildred is one that divides the crowds, but with popular nickname Mildred and renewed interest in Winifred, Deborah, Millicent, and Gwendolen, it's not entirely out of the question that Mildred might make a return in coming years 
 Mildred is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that became popularized in England via the daughter of the 7th century saint and princess Ermenburga. Mildred herself became a saint and abbess in the 8th century and was noted for her kindness, especially to those made outcasts by society. Her name, meaning "gentle strength" was then fitting. 
 
In the US, she was a Top 10 choice from 1903 to 1926, with notable beaters including jazz singer Mildred Bailey and the character of Mildred Pierce, played by Joan Crawford in the hit movie of the same name.
 
Around 100 girls are currently called Mildred in the US each year.

Mildred

Marin is a lovely county north of San Francisco, and a lovely baby name on the rise, one which sounds more refreshing than the more familiar Marina.
 As a place-name, Marin is pronounced with the accent on the second syllable, Ma-RIN, sort of like Marie, though when used as a name, many would say MAR-in or MAH-rin.
 Marin is unisex in several European countries (in Croatia it's currently Number 29 for boys); Maren is an alternate, Scandinavian, spelling. In France a very fashionable alternative for girls is Marine.

Marin

An underused classic that has proved surprisingly unisex over the last few decades, being given to roughly the same number of baby girls and boys in the US from the 1970s to the 2000s. For a girl, Marion has a sturdy old-fashioned charm.

 The meaning of Marie is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Marion

Well-established Irish and Scottish name that has never really caught on across the pond. Remembered by an older generation as the beautiful red-haired ballerina in the film The Red Shoes, Moira Shearer.

Moira

Marla might have dropped out of style in the US back in the 90s, but it has seen a resurgence in the UK in recent years. With a little dated charm about it, this variation of Marlene, itself a variant of Magdalene and Mary, blends in with the likes of Marley, Marlowe, Mila, Myla, Martha, and Maya. It was a fast rising choice in 2023 in both England and Wales, and Croatia. 

Marla

Sharper and steelier than Martha, but with the same underused vintage appeal.

Marta

Minerva is the long-neglected name of the Roman goddess of wisdom and invention, the arts and martial strength, one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/325/mythological-baby-names-for-girls">mythology names for girls</a> that might appeal to adventurous feminist parents. With Juno and Jupiter, she made the Capitoline triad, whose worship was at the very center of Roman religion.
 
Minerva Pott is a character in Dickens's novel Pickwick Papers. In Harry Potter, Minerva McGonagall is a Witch and Deputy Headmistress of Hogswarts, and in the Artemis Fowl books, Minerva Paradizo is equally intellectual. There's also a series of kids' mystery books centering around a Minerva Clark.
 
Minerva was a Top 500 name through the early 1920s, last appearing on the list in 1973. It's well liked on Nameberry though—currently at Number 417. Nickname Minnie fits right in with the other currently stylish vintage nickname names. Curiously, though, actress Minnie Driver was not born Minerva, but Amelia.

Minerva

A retro short form of Marina, dated to the era of the Hitchcock movie that made it famous, Marnie is beginning to feel fresh again — or rather, it is in the UK. Appearing in the Top 100 there in a recent year, parents may have been inspired by British singer Lily Allen, who gave it to her second daughter in 2013, or by the character in the hit TV show Girls.
 
Friendly and gentle with the the popular sounds of Annie, Marley, Maisie, and Marcy, Marnie manages to be sweet without feeling cutesy. With the added bonus of a sea-inspired meaning, Marnie is also seeing quiet shifts up the US stats, with 85 girls given the name in a recent year —the highest number of Marnies born in a single year since the late 1970s.

Marnie

Adds a modern spin to old-fashioned Mary.

Maryn

If you're looking for a fresher belle name than Isabelle, Mirabelle is lovely, and we also like the extra flourish of Mirabella. And if you want a nature tie, Mirabelle is also the name of a delicate French plum.
 Steve Martin chose the name for the heroine of his novel Shopgirl, Mirabelle Buttersfield. And the Mirabel spelling was used for the likeable heroine of the Disney animation Encanto.

Mirabelle

Manha is a Muslim name given to about 100 baby girls in the US last year.

Manha

Maiya is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Sanskrit, it relates to 'illusion' or 'magic,' while in Hebrew it can mean 'wished-for child.' It's also found in Japanese culture where it might be connected to the word for 'dance.' The name has gained modest popularity in recent decades as parents seek distinctive yet approachable alternatives to more common names like Maya or Maia. Maiya offers a fresh twist on these similar names while maintaining an easy pronunciation. Its cross-cultural presence gives it versatility and broad appeal. The name has a gentle, flowing quality with its soft consonants and vowel sounds, contributing to its increasingly favorable reception.